“Democrats will always fight to end discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, language, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability." -Democratic Party Platform

No matter who you are, who you love, where you’re from, or how you worship, Democrats are fighting for you.

Every American, no matter their race, sex, ethnicity or national origin, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability, is equal, and Democrats are fighting for them. Democrats have a long and proud history of defending civil rights and expanding opportunity for all Americans. From the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009 to including marriage equality in the party platform in 2012. We are committed to protecting voting rights, freedom of religion, women’s right to make their own health care decisions, and equal federal rights for LGBT couples. We strive for criminal justice reform, and common sense approaches to reduce and prevent gun violence.

Democrats will fight to protect equality for everyone against any force that threatens a group of Americans simply because of who they are or what they believe.

“We are committed to doing everything we can to build a full-employment economy, where everyone has a job that pays enough to raise a family and live in dignity with a sense of purpose.” -Democratic Party Platform

Democrats believe that our economy should strengthen our country and work for every American, not just those at the top. We are committed to helping all Americans meet the challenges of the 21st century by spurring job creation, rebuilding our infrastructure, investing in clean-energy technologies and small businesses, and making sure corporations, the wealthy, and Wall Street pay their fair share.

When President Obama took office in 2009, he inherited an economy in freefall, with huge deficits, skyrocketing healthcare costs, dwindling employment, and banking and housing markets on the brink of collapse. Working with the President, Democrats stabilized the financial system, helped to prevent a second Great Depression, and created millions of new jobs.

15.5 million new private-sector jobs since early 2010 and the lowest unemployment claims in decades: That’s the progress that Democrats made under President Obama, and that’s the progress we’re working every single day to protect.

“Democrats have been fighting to secure universal healthcare for the American people for generations, and we are proud to be the party that passed Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.” -Democratic Party Platform

Democrats are committed to preserving and protecting the right for everyone to have basic healthcare security. When President Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965, that healthcare security was finally available to America’s seniors. In 1997, Democrats passed the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which currently covers 8 million kids. It has taken nearly a century to extend that basic measure of security to all Americans.

Since 2010, 20 million Americans gained healthcare coverage and the uninsured rate has been cut almost in half through the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26, protects against discrimination of pre-existing conditions, and has enabled 8 out of 10 Americans who purchase health insurance in the marketplace to receive benefits for less than $100 per month. The Affordable Care Act also provides tax credits to small businesses to help offset the costs of employee coverage and tax credits to help families pay for insurance. It has even allowed states to expand Medicaid to help even more Americans get covered. Democrats believe that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and our healthcare system should put people before profit.

“Democrats know that every child, no matter who they are, how much their families earn, or where they live, should have access to a high-quality education, from preschool through high school and beyond.” -Democratic Party Platform

Democrats recognize education as the most pressing economic issue in America’s future, and we cannot allow our country to fall behind in a global economy. We must prepare the next generation for success in college and the workforce. Our country is strongest when our workers are trained with the knowledge and ingenuity to perform at the highest levels. Every child should have the opportunity to reach that horizon and to fulfill the American Dream.

Democrats want every child - no matter their zip code - to have access to a quality public K-12 education, and for college to be affordable for every American. We know that as the global marketplace grows more competitive, we need to expand opportunities for higher education and job training. Democrats are committed to increasing the college-completion rate as well as the share of students who are prepared for budding industries with specific job-related skills. In recent years Democrats have further increased access to higher education and restructured and dramatically expanded college financial aid, while making federal programs simpler, more reliable, and more efficient for students. Democrats are committed to protecting the progress made, because affordable public education is the foundation of our middle class.

“Democrats believe that climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children’s health and futures, and that Americans deserve the jobs and security that come from becoming the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.” -Democratic Party Platform

Democrats are committed to curbing the effects of climate change, protecting America’s natural resources, and ensuring the quality of our air, water, and land for current and future generations. From investing in clean energy to protecting our ecosystems, Democrats are working to address our biggest environmental challenges, paving the way to a more sustainable America.

Democrats want to protect and build on President Obama’s progress. They know that climate change is one of our nation’s greatest challenges, and that addressing this urgent threat could make America the world’s clean energy superpower and create millions of good-paying jobs. Democrats will fight to protect the Paris Agreement to protect our planet for future generations

It will take all of us acting together — workers and entrepreneurs, scientists and citizens, the public and the private sector — to address the challenge of climate change and seize our clean-energy future.

“Democrats believe immigration is not just a problem to be solved, it is a defining aspect of the American character and our shared history.” -Democratic Party Platform

Democrats know the importance of our country’s history as a nation of immigrants. We honor our fundamental values by treating all people who come to the United States with dignity and respect, and we always seek to embrace — not to to attack — immigrants.

Thanks to President Obama, hundreds of thousands of DREAMers have been able to receive a temporary status that allows them to study, work, pay taxes, and contribute to the communities they grew up in. His administration has made a tremendous difference by prioritizing immigration enforcement so that it is focused on those with criminal records and doesn’t arbitrarily separate families, and Democrats are fighting to protect that progress.

THE 2016 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM

Every four years, the Democratic Party puts together our party platform, the ideas and beliefs that govern our party as a whole.

What follows is our 2016 platform — our most progressive platform in our party’s history and a declaration of how we plan to move America forward. Democrats believe that cooperation is better than conflict, unity is better than division, empowerment is better than resentment, and bridges are better than walls.